


The Way Back Home

by InconsistentUpdates



Category: Paladins: Champions Of The Realm (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of time skips cause these honestly just started as drabbles, Serious Injuries, Tyra doesn't deserve this hONESTLY
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-04-23 07:06:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14327187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InconsistentUpdates/pseuds/InconsistentUpdates
Summary: Tyra is seriously injured after a Resistance mission and her only hope of getting back home is by puting her trust in an old friend.





	1. Chapter 1

Tyra felt something embedded in her side seconds after the explosion went off.

She didn't stop running, however. There was too much at stake, too much on the line for the Resistance if she were to be captured by the Magistrate. She ran until her lungs burned and her body throbbed, praying that she would be able to put enough distance between her and the destroyed Magistrate safehouse before anyone could realize what had happened.

She couldn't keep this up forever, though. Soon the pain became too great for her to handle, and she forced herself to stop. She stumbled to the base of a tree, leaning heavily against it. Her back felt tight, she couldn't quite bend over or stand straight. Gritting her teeth, she reached behind her, suppressing a shout as she felt the jagged shrapnel stuck in her.

Her mind devolved into panic as she realized with how much she was bleeding, she likely was leaving a trail. Her breaths started coming quicker, vision blurring and darkening around the edges as the faint sound of shifting armor and footsteps grew closer. 

She focused solely on controlling her breathing, pushing herself off the tree to continue forward. It was only when the cold air hit her did she realize how sweaty her skin was. She was glad her rifle was secured on her back, with how badly her hands shook she likely would've dropped it a while ago.

She took a sharp breath as another wave of pain hit her. She couldn't blackout here, not when anyone in the Magistrate could stumble upon her. The footsteps got louder and faster. She couldn't keep up this pace for much longer. 

Her foot caught in a twisted root, the act seemingly draining whatever energy she had left. She fell to her knees, weakly grabbing at her side with a hiss. She pulled her hand back, fingers sticky with blood.

The footsteps became louder, and louder, until finally...nothing.

The sudden silence filled her half conscious mind with fear. She clenched her teeth as her vision began darkening again.

"Tyra…?"

She didn't even have the strength to lift her head, but she knew that voice. 

" _Ash_ …" It was all she could get out before her body gave out, and she slumped to the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ow! That hurt!"

"Well maybe if you stopped squirming I could bandage this properly!" 

Tyra hissed as Ash tightened the bandage around her midsection, successfully staunching the blood flow from her wound. "Why are you helping me, anyways? We're supposed to be enemies."

Ash didn't respond immediately, she just pulled out another roll of bandages from her kit and went to work on the wound she hadn't even realized she had on her leg. "We aren't enemies right now. I'm just a soldier who happened to find an injured civilian while on patrol."

"You could've just left the bandages." She responded icily.

Ash paused for a moment. Then, continued wrapping her leg. "You weren't even conscious when I found you."

"And when I awoke I could've tended to my own wounds."

"Could you just stop being so damn stubborn!?" Ash snapped.

Tyra hissed again as Ash tightened the bandage with just a bit too much force. She grit her teeth and waited out the pain before she continued. "Just finish what you're doing and leave."

"No, actually, I'm going to escort you to the nearest town and leave you with a healer. _Then_ , I'll leave."

Tyra went silent for a few moments, just watching Ash tend to her. The tips of her fingers were red, and the remaining bandages were discarded in Ash's satchel. Finally, she sighed. "Fine."

"Good. We have a long ways ahead of us so I hope you're ready for the trip."

She wasn't, Tyra thought, but she supposed this would only be temporary anyways.


	3. Chapter 3

"Dammit..." Ash sighed. The next town was just over the horizon, Tyra could just barely make it out if she stretched her neck out. 

"What is it?" She asked carefully. 

"I forgot this next town is Magistrate territory-"

Without a second thought, she grabbed her rifle from her back. The sudden move put strain on her wounds, of course, but she couldn't bring herself to care. "I knew this was a set up, I knew it!"

"Woah, woah! Easy there, don't strain yourself-"

"This was just a ploy to get me arrested, wasn't it!? To just hand me over for the Grand Magister to deal with?"

Ash raised her hands in surrender. "I swear it wasn't. In fact, you should stay here while I resupply."

Tyra narrowed her eyes, her grip on her rifle unwavering. "How do you know I won't be gone when you return?"

"I won't. But I know that the nearest Resistance supporting town is too far for you to make the journey on your own. _Especially_ with those injuries."

"You gain nothing from assisting me. Not unless you turn me in. So confess, why are you helping me?" 

Ash frowned, meeting her hard stare. Slowly, she lowered her hands. "Just trying to help an old friend. That's all."

Tyra didn't lower her gun.

Ash sighed and shook her head in frustration. "If you want to leave now, I won't stop you. I'm going into town to get supplies and maybe something to eat. I'll be back here in an hour if you decide to stick around."

She turned her back on her and walked away. Tyra should've taken the chance to shoot while her guard was down. But, she didn't. With a frustrated sigh she lowered her rifle. She knew that Ash was right, there was no way she'd make it with the scarce supplies she had. 

...Maybe after Ash returned she could take the supplies and get away in the night.


	4. Chapter 4

Tyra didn't want to admit it out loud, but it was getting harder and harder to keep up with Ash's pace. Night was growing closer, however, so at least soon she'd be able to rest before trying to get away. 

"I think we should break for the night." Ash says over her shoulder, already dropping her pack by a tree. 

"Fine by me." She manages to keep her exhaustion from her tone, but only just barely.

"Come here, I should rewrap your wounds." 

"You know, just because I'm injured, it doesn't mean I'm completely useless."

"Are you really gonna keep this up?" 

"Keep what up?"

"This hostility. I just want to help you-"

"Forgive me if it's hard to trust a Magistrate soldier." Tyra snapped.

"Oh, don't act like you weren't part of the Magistrate. You used to be in Karne's inner circle, for fuck's sake!"

"That is behind me! I fight for a new cause now, one that benefits everyone in the realm! How could you continue blindly supporting a man who wishes to only benefit himself while everyone else suffers?!"

"That's not true! The Magistrate only wants to _protect_ the realm! It's the Resistance that's putting everyone at risk!"

Tyra surged forward, rearing her fist back and punching Ash in the face. As soon as Ash toppled backwards, she grit her teeth to hold back a scream. A wave of pain hit her, and the sticky sensation of blood suddenly became very prominent as it rubbed against her bandages.

"What the fuck!? I-" Ash looked really to start arguing again, until she realized what was happening. "Oh, _fuck_."

With her anger gone in what seemed like an instant, Ash grabbed the bandages she had abandoned when the argument started. "You're bleeding through your bandages. I need to change them now or the wound is gonna get infected."

Tyra took a few steadying breaths as the pain that was just a dull throb now seemed like a hammer pounding into her side. "Just do it." She breathed out, collapsing against the nearest tree.

Ash worked quickly, first cleaning the blood then rewrapping the wound. As soon as she was sure it was secure, she breathed out a sigh of relief. "Listen, Tyra, I don't want to fight. I understand that we're...we're not the same as we used to be but...I still want to help you."

"...I'm sorry for punching you."

"Well, let's just say that for now you owe me one." 

Tyra chuckled, wincing at the soreness of her body. "So, setting up camp, then?"

Ash returned to her abandoned pack, pulling a few things out before suddenly pausing and freezing up. 

"What is it?"

"There's...only one sleeping bag…"


	5. Chapter 5

"Could you stop kicking your feet?"

"Could you stop complaining about the way I sleep?"

Tyra huffed and turned her back to Ash, trying to get as much space between them as physically possible. 

"Why are you squirming so much?"

"I'm practically cuddling with the enemy, excuse me for being a bit uncomfortable."

"Hey, I thought we agreed on a truce!"

"Sharing a sleeping bag was _not_ part of that deal." Tyra deadpanned.

The silence between them returned, leaving only the sound of the rustling leaves and the occasional chirp of a cricket behind. Eventually Tyra managed to find a comfortable position and tried to fall asleep.

"...Why are you so hot?"

Tyra's eyes flew open. " _What_."

Ash suddenly stiffened. "Temperature wise! I-I meant hot as in like...hot, not _hot_ hot-"

"I don't know, w-we're sharing a sleeping bag of course it's gonna get hot!"

Ash cleared her throat awkwardly. "Right...right, of course."

Tyra ignored the heat suddenly rushing to her face and tried to go back to sleep.

Silence. Then, "If you feel worse or anything just let me know-"

"Good _night_ , Ash."

"...night."


	6. Chapter 6

"I'm fine." Tyra said, even as she clenched her jaw and stumbled every few steps.

Ash couldn't help but snort in response. "Sure you are. That's why I'm acting as your human cane right now, right?" 

Tyra began to pull away from her, as if she felt challenged by Ash's words. In response, Ash adjusted so Tyra's arm was wrapped around her shoulders, forcing her to use her as support. She struggled for a few moments before finally slumping against her in defeat. Her face had gotten significantly paler, her eyes unfocused but tight with pain she refused to admit to.

"Where is the wound?" She asks, hoping that keeping Tyra focused on something will prevent her from passing out.

"Uh, the side. They got my leg too, but it's not as bad." Her words were coming out slower, more slurred as her energy was rapidly draining. Ash cursed to herself.

"Are you getting ferverish? I can't check because of my armor."

"If you're asking if I'm hot the answer is yes."

"Feverish it is then." Ash deadpanned.

Tyra lets her head lull against her, making her heart jump in her chest. "Tyra?"

"M'tired…" She mumbles quietly.

"Do not fall asleep on me."

"You don't wanna sleep with me?"

_Oh my fucking gods._

A very small part of her is thankful that Tyra is delusional to the point that she wouldn't notice her face getting redder by the second.

"Listen, Tyra, just talk to me, alright? You said you got hurt in the side, right? Which one?"

"Right...right side. Pretty deep, actually-" Tyra's breath hitched suddenly as she hunched over. Ash barely managed to catch her before she suddenly became dead weight. The right side of Tyra's armor was now thoroughly drenched in blood.

"Fuck!" She cursed, pressing her hand against the wound in an attempt to stop the blood flow. "Dammit, Tyra, if you pull through this I'm going to kick your ass…"

_Please live through this. Please._


End file.
